How To Make fool-proof Mayonnaise

Nothing, and I mean nothing stands up to creamy flavorful homemade mayonnaise.
The above statement is from someone who wasn’t always a mayo fan. And no offense I cannot stand Miracle Whip. I never knew the magic of real homemade mayonnaise until I was on my second round of the Whole30.
It makes my burgers delectable, my chicken salads dressed in creamy amazing-ness, and not to mention deviled eggs! I am OBSESSED.
I now make mayonnaise just about every week and is a fridge staple. And if you didn’t know already, high quality mayo is considered a healthy fat!

It also can be manipulated to make some pretty tasty dairy-free dressings…such as dill pickle ranch! (post coming soon!)

Now, some of you may be asking at this point, Why should I make homemade mayonnaise when I can just pick up a jar on my way home?

Think about the ingredients that are in store bought mayo: sugar, soybean oil (which I avoid), and other polyunsaturated oils that are a no-no in the healthy eating/eating clean department.

As I began making my own mayonnaise at home I began to wonder, “who the heck decided to whip egg yolks in a frenzy and slowly pour oil over it to create a sauce?”

The History of Mayonnaise

Turns out the origin of mayonnaise began in 1756 by a French Chef of Duc dr Richelieu. After the Duc beat the British at Port Mahon, the chef created a victory feast which was supposed to feature a sauce of cream and eggs (aka Alfredo). He soon realized the kitchen was out of cream and substituted olive oil instead of cream mixed with eggs and the chef decided to call this new creation “Mahonnaise” hence mayonnaise was born.

The Science behind Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is the mixture of two immiscible liquids: egg yolks and oil. Emulsification is the process of combining two immiscible liquids such as water and oil (two liquids that are well known for not mixing) wherein oil is in one phase (dispersed), and water is in a dispersion medium. Egg yolks are considered an “emulsifier” aka an “emulgent” which is the substance that stabilizes an emulsion by increasing its kinetic stability. The lecithin (protein) is the actual emulsifying agent inside the egg yolk. When the egg yolks are beaten at a consistent speed all the while SLOWLY pouring oil breaks down the molecule “walls” in the yolk and allows the oil to blend in and cause the thickening reaction that produces creamy delectable mayonnaise.

Now most mayonnaise recipes use olive oil (which is fine) but I prefer to use avocado oil. Olive oil had too much of a bitter flavor whereas avocado oil has a milder flavor and its heart healthy! Also, because this recipe uses raw eggs, please make sure the eggs are fresh and preferably pasteurized.

Ok! Let’s make some mayo!

In a food processor pulse 3 egg yolks until blended
Then turn on the processor on a constant speed
Pour 1 cup of avocado oil SLOWLY in!
I CANNOT emphasize this enough. Like think super sloth slow. It should give you an arm workout because you are holding the measuring cup in the air for so long. It should take about 5 minutes to pour the whole cup. (Not joking)

And do not dump the rest of it when you get towards the end. Pouring the oil too fast will ruin your mayonnaise and result in a big oily mess! No bueno!

While you are pouring slowly, you should hear the audible pitch change in the processor as the mixture begins to thicken! And then like magic you have thick creamy mayonnaise.

I even made a video to make it SUPER easy to see how to make it!

Never season the eggs prior to the thickening process. It ruins the emulsification.

Season the mayo AFTER it looks pretty. I use a pinch of salt plus 1 tbs of dijon mustard and a squeeze of lemon juice. YUM!

Put in a sealed container and keep in the refrigerator until the eggs’ expiration date (roughly 7-10 days)

Now what can I do with mayonnaise?
Use it as a spread on your burger and sandwiches
Make dairy free dressings for your salads
Deviled Eggs
Spice it up with some hot sauce for a spicy version
Tuna Salad!
Potato Salad

Instructions:
In a food processor combine the egg yolks for about 3 pulses
As the food processor is on at a constant speed, SLOWLY pour the oil in a consistent stream until all oil is gone and the mayo is thick and creamy
Add the salt, mustard, and lemon juice and pulse 3-5 more times until blended
Store in a sealed container for 7-10 days in the fridge

TIP– If for some reason you ruin the mayonnaise DON’T throw it away! We can fix it!

How to fix broken mayonnaise:
Scrape the ruined mayonnaise into the measuring cup you were using for the oil
Add 1 egg yolk to the food processor
Repeat the process of pouring the broken mayo back into the food processor as it spins at a constant speed until new mayo is created!

If you make this recipe, don’t forget to tag your photo with #thekitcheneer!

I am obsessed with homemade mayo. So much better than the storebought stuff, and really not that much more work to make. I usually use olive or canola oil, because that’s what’s normally sitting in my pantry, but I’m very intrigued by the idea of using avocado oil… I can see the buttery flavour of it working really well!